Hey, I'm Robert Cheeke. I'm competing in my 8th bodybuilding competition in late April, 2009. Some of my good friends have joined me to make history as a handful of vegan bodybuilders get on stage together to make a difference. Jack Marchese and Jimi Sitko will compete with me and we're all pushing ourselves hard to put our best physique forward in a relatively short amount of time. I don't really care whether people think I'm ready or not because I know I'll be ready. Most people sit on the fence their whole life and never jump inside the fire and do something they're passionate about. I've finished 1st before and last before, and I love what I'm doing and I'm ready to get back up on stage in 12 weeks for the first time in nearly 2 years.

I'm achieving career-best lifts and some recent pre-contest photos are some of my most impressive shots, so I'm confident about getting back on stage to make some noise.

I'll work hard to update this journal frequently. Right now, it's time to get some Vega and eat some food!

Here is a recap from my workout today:

1/29/09 10AM

I got on a plane at 11:20PM or so and flew back to Portland from Honolulu last night. I slept on the plane but not real well and my neck was killing me from the angle I was positioned in. I actually had the entire row to myself during the red eye flight so I guess I could have scrunched up and tried to lie down but I just used pillows, my soft Vega jacket and a blanket to position myself.

Tasha picked me up from the airport after little sleep and 2 hours time zone switch (5:30AM Hawaii time) and we went over toe Lean and Green's house and then headed to the gym.

This was my strongest overall chest workout ever I set one PR and tied another one (Personal Record or Personal Best)

I did 110 push-ups (though up to 170 for the day so far) to warm up.

Then:

Incline Dumbbell Press

52.5s x 1265s x 1280s x 1090s x 8100s x 6105s x 4 (Lean and Green helped on the final two reps of the 90's, the final 2 reps of the 100's and the final 2 reps of the 105's.

the 105's for incline dumbbell press is a new personal best.

Then over to Decline press where I only hit 185 last week because it was midway through my workout and I was exhausted. I started at 185 this time.

Awesome, Robert. I'm so excited about the three of you competing together! Can't wait to see photos, videos and hear about the results of the comp. Best of luck, although luck is not what is going to help you, it's hard work and I know that you're working very hard to show everyone what vegans can do!

Impressive benching and those new photos are great! Looks like you had heaps of fun in Hawaii.

Happiness is a personal choice!I am the sole source of all my sadness and joy."The logic of worldly success rests on afallacy: the strange error that our perfectiondepends on the thoughts andopinions and applause of other men."Source: Thomas Merton

The metric system is socialized measurment. If you implement it it will only be a matter of time before your grandma will stand in front of a death panel being forced to deny the existance of baby Jesus.

Robert, I like to go by Giacomo! I'll turn the other Cheeke on it this time........

I was impressed by your lifts as well. It's amazing how much better outdoor lighting does for picture taking, the pics on the beach look so much better as opposed to the indoor ones.

I cannot wait to make a presence with you and Jimi on stage for veganism. We should continue on doing this as well. I'm game if you are. Though I don't know if you'l have the courage to show your face around public after we chop your hair off. We shook on it budday! You can find something new to try and scare me

A couple of days ago I had my best chest workout ever.......today was arguably my best biceps workout ever...using up to 70 lb dumbbells for hammer curls and 300 pounds for reverse grip pull-downs, which was as heavy as the lat pull down machine would allow.

But first a recap from last night (My internet still isn't working properly...goodbye Comcast, hello new company asap because this has been an on-going problem).

Last night was triceps and abs.

Lean and Green and I are training together pretty much everyday now as we are 12 weeks out. I still travel a bit but won't be going anywhere for the month of Feb!

Then I had some Vega that I packed with me, a couple of oranges, a banana, and then came home and had tofu, carrots and potatoes (left over from yesterday that Tasha prepared for me) and I'll go eat more in just a bit.

105's x 5110's x left an opportunity for improvement (with a spotter, no prob at all)110's x left an opportunity for improvement (with a spotter, no prob at all) - very close on this one

I'm almost revisited the 110's at the end of the workout, but without a spotter for that first rep, it just wasn't happening but I will be using 115's before March having Lean and Green helping me get that first rep going.

Decline Barbell bench press

135 x 12225 x 3225 x 5225 x 3225 x 5

All of those sets could have been more reps, but without a spotter I didn't want to chance it and have it end up landing on my chest. I know I can do 10 reps or so with that weight if I'm fresh and have a spotter watching/helping on the final few reps.